Visitors

I'm feeling a lot stronger. My kidneys are working and I've been measuring my fluid intake/output since Saturday. it equals out and what a difference! My potassium levels have dropped to 5.0 from 6.2 and i expect today's blood results to see a further drop.

I had some welcome visitors over the weekend. Saturday saw my son Perry grab a lift off Bill Mutch and so a great afternoon of chat which exhausted me out. Sunday saw Peter and Paula Richardson, Gillian and Graham Williams come past at different times. All these broke the monotony and were a welcome sight, but it tires me out, in a good way.

Peter and Paula gave me some exercise bands which are really welcome especially as my arms are so skinny. Bicep 28cm, chest 105cm. I've never been so small, well - since I was small! Ill measure them weekly from now on. Im 78kg (12.3 stone/172lb).

They also brought along Deezal, a young Rhodesian Ridgeback pup that played with our aging lady.

Kali and a young enthusiastic Deezal

Gillian and Graham had been hill walking. Grahams about to walk around the alps in one go, having done all the Munro's continuously, so I'll be following his progress with interest in the next six months.

Over the last 3 months I have heard the sensationalist screaming of climate deniers jumping on any bandwagon that calls into question the science. That's OK as science has to be challenged and what survives the scrutiny has value in the scientific community. What is happening with the 'email hacking' incident - which was claimed to show it was all a lie - has not seen anything but profound silence after the independent inquiry totally exonerated the supposed corrupt scientist. You can read about it here.

Its typical of the world where the media sensationalist to pander to the prejudices of their audience. How many people though have been influenced by the loudmouths who are not savvy to the long term facts, who are simply influenced by corporate sponsored denier groups? We live in a throw away society and I for one spend my life doing the opposite.

I'll be spending my time of recuperation in the garden when I can, creating along with Caz a garden that will also produce food. I encourage you to read into permaculture and even if you have just a small garden in a city you can still turn it into something and this has been proved by Spiralseed. I know that it is close to election time, but I have advocated all my adult life self responsibility.

I dont want to sit back and expect a politician to organise my life with 2 minute moments of hate as portrayed in Orwell's 1984. I dont want to be a product or a pawn for some globalised profit making scheme that leaves victims everywhere. I want my life to be an example of what can be and with this 'second' chance I wont be changing too much but I wont be idling either.

We are not saying "Don't Vote". Whether we vote or not, or who we vote for, is largely unimportant. What is important is realising that it is not a cross on a piece of paper which counts, but how we spend the rest of our lives. Real change comes about not because we vote for it, but because we fight for it, shout for it, work for it. Placing hopes and fears on who holds power, or who will gain power through voting, is wasting time which might be spent in creating alternatives, both for ourselves and for our communities. Whether you choose to vote or not does not interest us. But we ask you: Organise! Educate! Participate! - Chumbawamba Statement - 1987